On August 30 the UK’s Daily Telegraph reported that an organization called UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has threatened to charge the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, with professional misconduct. Khan is a British lawyer, known in the UK’s legal system as a barrister and King’s Counsel. He is subject to the discipline of the Bar Standards Board. Found guilty of professional misconduct, a barrister in the most serious cases can be disbarred and forbidden to practice law.
In a letter to Khan dated August 27, the UKLFI refute, item by item, his accusations against the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and provide detailed evidence showing that each and every one of his allegations is false. In addition they cite new information that has come to light subsequent to his application for international arrest warrants which also shows his original charges to be in error. They say the professional standards he has to adhere to as a member of the English bar oblige him to review his application to the ICC.
If he does not respond, the UKLFI say they will report him to his professional disciplinary body charged with professional misconduct. They will back their charges with the evidence provided in their letter, and considerably more which they say they have available.
On May 20, 2024 Khan, as the ICC’s chief prosecutor, applied to the court to issue international arrest warrants against three Hamas leaders and also against Netanyahu and Gallant. His request in respect of the Israeli leaders was backed by a catalog of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity that he accused them of committing. He states as a fact that Israel indulged in “collective punishment of the civilian........